Trying to hit your macros, stick to a diet, or are you just curious about the nutritional information of cannabis? You may be wondering if weed has any calories, and it’s a pretty common question! In this blog post, we’ll discuss what calories are, if weed has calories, and different cannabis products that may be more diet-friendly than others.
Please note: this blog post is not intended to offer any nutritional or medical advice or guidance. We are cannabis experts, not nutrition coaches! For nutritional help, please consult a proper professional like a doctor or nutrition expert.
What is a Calorie?
Put simply, a calorie is a unit of energy from food or drinks that our bodies use to function. We get calories from the foods and drinks we consume, and our bodies use them to do everything from breathing to running a marathon. In general, many people count calories and other nutritional information as part of their fitness routine.
If you track your caloric intake and like to enjoy cannabis, you’ve likely wondered if your favorite weed products have any calories in them. Depending on the kind of cannabis products you use, the answer varies.
Does Weed Have Calories?
Short answer: Yes and no. Cannabis itself does not have any significant calories since it is plant matter that contains little to no fats, proteins, or carbohydrates, which tend to be what makes certain foods more calorically dense than others. The way you consume your cannabis, however, is largely what determines how many calories are in your cannabis product.
For example, if you consume cannabis in the form of edibles, which are foods infused with THC or CBD, you’ll be consuming calories from the food alongside your cannabinoids. With a product like a vape or flower though, you will not consume calories from inhaling a product. So, let’s dive into knowing how many calories are in your cannabis products.
Calories in Edibles
Edibles come in a variety of forms like cakes, chocolates, gummies, and more. Depending on the type of edible you choose and how much you eat, you could be consuming anywhere from just a few calories to a few hundred per serving. For example, a THC gummy might only have a few calories, but an infused brownie could have much more due to its ingredients.
The cannabis itself within your edibles isn’t very calorically dense. If you were to consume cannabis flower by itself (which you should not do, please don’t do this), every 1 gram of flower contains about 2 calories. This means that the cannabis in your edibles isn’t what gives them the bulk of their calories. It’s the other ingredients like sugars and fats that add calories to your edibles.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find cannabis brands that list the nutrition information of their products on their packaging since they aren’t required to do so. Some large brands may list their nutrition facts either on the package or online, but it’s hard to come by. Cannabis companies do, however, have to list their ingredients, which can help you make a more informed decision when choosing your edibles.
Low-Calorie Cannabis Options
If you’re looking for a low-calorie way to use cannabis, inhalables and topicals are your best bet. Both contain zero calories and do not go through your digestive system!
Vapes, flower, concentrates, and the like all fall into the inhalables category. These products are inhaled into the lungs and deliver cannabinoids into your system through your bloodstream. They don’t interact with your digestive system and do not contain calories. But beware! Some people experience increased hunger when using cannabis, also known as the munchies. This may cause you to eat more food and consume more calories than you normally would, which may not be ideal for someone looking to lower their intake.
Topicals can be a great option for people who don’t want to consume calories from their cannabis products at all, but this can depend on your needs. When you apply a cannabis balm or lotion, the effects are usually localized and do not have psychoactive effects (for most topicals). This means they do not go through your digestive system and do not have any caloric value. The only drawback here is that if you’re looking to get high, most topicals aren’t designed to do so. Most topical products are made to provide spot relief for aches and pain on the body by potentially reducing inflammation.
If you’re looking to consume cannabis orally and still want to keep it low-cal, tinctures like this one are a super versatile way to use cannabis without worrying about calories. Most tinctures are about 7 calories per milliliter, and you can add them to a variety of foods and drinks to make your cannabis-infused edibles. There are also some drinks that come cannabis-infused, and some can be more calorically dense than others depending on their ingredients.
Conclusion
If you’re keeping track of your caloric intake, they are a variety of cannabis options out there depending on your goals! Edibles tend to be the most calorically dense of these options, and it can be hard to find edibles that list nutrition information, but they all are required to list their ingredients. This can help you make more informed decisions when choosing edibles. For low-calorie options, you can opt for flower, concentrates, vapes, tinctures, and topicals, depending on what you want from your cannabis experience.
To conclude, weed itself has very few calories, and when inhaled, has no calories at all. Depending on what kind of cannabis product you choose, some are more calorically dense than others. If have any questions about nutrition, caloric intake, or anything related, be sure to seek advice from a medical professional or nutrition expert. When it comes to cannabis, though, you can ask us! Visit us at one of our dispensaries across New Mexico or shoot us a message on our contact page. You can see our full product list by location on our shop and learn more about our products here.
